Portable fan



May 14, 1929. w. H. GINDER PORTABLE FAN Filed Jan.

INVENTOR.' #M/0n?.

BY (gnam ATTORNEY.A

Patented May 14, 1929.

UNITE-'D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. GINDER, 0F HADDONFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASS-IGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO ELECTRO MANUFACTURING COMPANY 0F AMERICA.

PORTABLE FAN.

Appaeason mea ianuary 9, 192s. serial No. 245,383.

This invention relates to portable fans, with particular reference to those fans projecting a horizontal stratum of air radially from the source.

Among the objects of this invention are; to improve the construction of fans; to provide a neat and attractive fan at a low cost; to reduce the labor normally necessary in assembling and finishing fansgto provide an efficient but substantially silent fan by structural improvements therein; to provide a fan susceptible to adjustment and repair without material disassembly of the tan; to provide an assembly of fan, guard and deflector which is susceptible to quick and easy assembly or disassembly, but which is rigid and firm in its assembled unitary condition; to provide as elements ot' a fan assembly, preformed units, the subject of machine operations; to improve the guard constructionsof fans; and many other objects and advantages as will be more apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings,

F ig. 1, represents a vertical section through an assembled fan aceording to this invention, partially in elevation,

Fig. 2, represents a section Ion line 2 2 of Fig. l,

F ig. 3, represents a bottom elevation ot the fan with the bottom plate removed to show the innerassembly, and

F ig. et, represents a fragmentary section through the fan, With the motor in elevation to show the mounting ot the motor in the base shell.

The base of the fan comprises a hollow shell 10, preferably stamped or spun to torni a truncated hollow cone, having the flaring enlarged skirt 11, and the substantially flat or plane top 12, in which an axially concentric opening'l is formed ot suoli diameter as to afford a sliding but guiding cngagement. with the axially inserted motor to be described. Inwardly formed in the skirt of the shell at desired points thereon are the angularI brace members 14. having each a lowerl fiat face 15, substantially parallel with the plane of the lower or bottom edge otf the skirt, but spaced slightly thereabove to form a plate receiving recess within which a plate 16 is mounted, with its lower face in substantial alignment with the lower edge ot the skirt. 'Ihe plate is attached to the angular brace members by means of bolts 17 passing through the plate and into threaded openings 18 formed in the faces 15 of the brace members. The angular brace members are attached to the shell 1n any desired manner to form" rigid braces, as by soldering or welding, although it will be obvious that it is perfectly permissable to strike them from the material ot the shell as integral portions thereof, (not shown), and this formation of the braces is con sidered within the purview of the invention.

Motor arms 20 are provided, preferably comprising a pair of arms diametrically disposed on opposite sides of the shell comprising each a substantially vertical shank 21, and a substantially radially inwardly eX tending foot 22 spaced above the lower edge of the, skirt and in a plane parallel there with. Each motor arm is rigidly attached to the inner surface of the shell as by soldering or Welding, although it may be struck from the material of the shell if desired. Suitable pads of cushioning material, (not shown) may be mounted on the feet, and-the feet are each formed with a bolt hole through which motor bolts may be extended as later described. 1t will be observed that although the vertical Shanks' of the motor arms are laterally disposed relative the axis of the shell so as to be out of the path of the axially inserted motor to be described, yet the feet of the arms extend inwardly so as to register with the opening 13, being thus in the path of movement of the axially inserted motor.

A fan guard is provided to form a rigid and substantially immovable unit with the shell comprised of a plurality of arms, preferably three in number, although this may be Varied as desired, each including vertical posts 24, curved at their lower ends to form shell arms 25 converging upon and rigidly atlixed to the shell at points spaced from the opening 13 therein. The shell arms of the guard may be fastened as desired to the shell, and it is preferred that the terminals thereof be reduced and threaded with a shoulder 26 arranged for direct engagement with the outer wall of the shell, or by an interposed washer, with the threaded shank 27 eXtending through an opening 28 in the shell, and fastened in place by a washer 3U and nut 31. It desired this removable connection may be replaced by a soldered or welded connection. It is to be noted that the arms form a sharp bend 32 at the juncture of the posts 24 and arms 25, which bend is spaced vertically above the upper end of the shell and forms the lower boundary of the guard. A pair of annular forming members 33 and 34 of substantially identicalv diameters are provided, to which a short cylinder of perforated sheet metal 35 is afiixed, as by soldering or welding, and which members delineate the upper and lower extremities of the guard. A sheet of screen or mesh material 36 having a concentric axial opening 37 slightly larger than the opening 13 of the shell, is soldered or Welded to the lower annulus or forming member 34with the central opening finished by an annulus 38 soldered or welded to the mesh material tostrengthen thelower face of the guard, and impart an ornamental linish to the mesh material, and to form a smooth guide through which the subsequently attached motor may slide without interference. The mesh material is preferably of such auge that thevvertical posts may be ,exten ed through the mesh on the inner surface of the cage defined by the forming members 33 and 34 and the cylin drical sheet metal 35,- and be attached thereto in a rigid unit as by soldering or welding, to form a rigid unit with the shell, as will b e clear.

` 41 is mounted.

The upper ends of the vertical posts- '24 terminate each in axially inclined radially extending flattened lugs 40, having an opening, and upon which the removable deflector The -delector comprises a downwardly extendin concentric hub 42, a concentric curved sur ace 43 falling sharply away from the hub and terminating in a substantially horizontally rojecting surface 44. The curvature is pre era-bly an irregular curve so that the angle at the hub is more pronounced than it is remote from the hub, to afford clearance space above the fan blades to prevent the turbulence and noise incident to crowding the air between the fan blades and the deflector. The defiector is preferably a shell which may be stamped or spun as desired, and may have a concentrlc plug 45 disposed above the hub to impart a more ornamental appearance or finish to the fan. Near the outer periphery of the shell on the lower surface thereof, short bolts 46 are eX- tended, arranged for registration with openings in the lugs 40 on the ends of the vertical osts 24, to which lugs the ydeflector 41 is a xed by nuts 47, or in any desired manner. It will be seen that as described the deflector shell is rigidly mounted on the ends of the vertical posts, but is susceptible to quick removal axially away from the shell and guard. The unit so far described is in its assembled condition, a rigid whole.

An electric fan motor of any desired sort but preferably comprised of a cylindrical casing 48 arranged for vertical positioning and operation, is formed preferablyv although not necessarily with shoulders or re cesses 50, arranged to seat upon the feet 22 of the motor arms of the shell, and to be rigidly afxed thereto by vertically extending bolts 23. As noted cushioning pads may be mounted on the feet prior to the attachment of the motor. The motor is of substantially the same diameter as the opening 13 in the shell so that themotor, axially inserted through the annulus 38 of the guard has a sliding engagement with the edge of the shell formed by the opening 13, in which it is guided to rest upon the motor feet, and by which it is laterally supported at the top of the shell. The motor is thus maintained in fixed position by cooperation between the feet of the motor supports mounted on the shell, and the shell itself. This effects a rigid assembly for the motor and shell, and it will be clear that if desired cushioning materials of any desired sort may be interposed between the periphery of the motor casing and the edge of the shell to absorb vibrations from the motor or fan blades to quiet the fan, although this will not ordinarily be necessary.

The upper end of the motor is provided with brush changing lugs or nuts 51,.verti cally disposed above the upper portion 12 of theshell, but disposed vertically below the lower surface of the fan guard, and eX- tending laterally from the motor in the clearance maintained between the guard and the shell for manual actuation of the nuts and the changing or adjustment of the brushes without disassembling the motor or the supporting and housing structure in which 1t is disposed. As the brushes are usually the onl y points requiring adjustment and repair 1l: will be seen that the manipulations necessary to the end may be consummated without disturbing the fan assembly.

The motor 48 is provided with a lower journal 5 2 and upper journal 53 extending perpendicularly from the respective end faces of the motor. The end faces are provided with a plurality of Ventilating openings 54 through which air passes to cool the motor. The upper journal has an opening through which the armature shaft of the motor extends within the space defined by the guard of the fan, when the motor and unit are assembler. .The shaft 55 of the motor is arrange to receive the axially bored hub 56 of the fan blades 57, to which the hub is aflixed by such means, for instance, as a set screw 58. It will be observed that the fan blades are attachable to the motor by a simple axial movement after the motor is in place in the shell. It will further be observed that although the hub of the deilector is immediately adjacent the hub of the fan blades yet the curvature of the deflector is such that as the air stream becomes stronger, as it does as the oint of observation is further from the axis of the fan, clearance is afforded by the space indicated by numeral GOenabling the airstream to get clear of the fan before being subjected to the turning action of' the deflector, resulting in a minimized noise and efficient functioning that otherwise may not occur.

It will be observed further that the channel for the radially projected horizontal air stream defined between the edge ofthe deflector and the upper edge of the guard is of substantially the samevertical extent as the guard itself, resulting in an improved ornamental appearance.

Assuming the formation of the separate units involved in the invention, as the shell base, the guard, the deflector, themotor and the fan blades, it will be clear that the actual labor involved in the assembly of the fan is a minimum. The shell and guard are first formed into a unit. The motor is then inserted axially through the annulus 38 of the guard, through the opening 13 in the top of the shell to seat its shoulders or recesses 50 upon the inwardly projecting feet of the motor arms. This assembly is then made rigid by extending the bolts 23 through the appropriate holes in the feet of the arms and into the motor. The fan blades are then axially attached upon the perpendicular motor shaft and fastened by the set screw. The deflector is axially mounted upon'the upper ends of the vertical posts, and fastened by the nuts on the bolts thereof. It will be understood that appropriate wire aperture 61 and switch aperture 62 will be formed in the shell during its construction to permit of the lateral insertion of lead wires 63, although obviously the lead wires may be inserted otherwise as desired,` as through the bottom for instance, and toggle switch 64 for controlling the motor circuits. It will be clear that there is ample clearance between the lower end of the motor and the bottom plate to permit manipulations necessary to establish the connections. The plate 16 may be added at the conclusion of the assembly operation, by bolts 17 extending into the threaded openings 18 in the lower fiat faces of the angular brace members. It will be understood thatthe lower plate may carry elastic or other studs 65 to form a non-scratching frictional support for the fan, and to raise the fan sufiiciently to enable air to pass under the plate 16 and through appropriate openings in the plate as intake ports for the air drawn through the openings 54 in the end faces of the motor 48.

The invention herein disclosed effects a quiet, ornamental, efficient portable fan at a reasonable and economical cost, both for the initial production costs, upkeep expenditures.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a portable fan, a shell, having an upper opening, motor support means mounted in the shell of substantially the same diameter' as said opening guidable slidably through said opening and engaging the support means, said motor extending above said shell and the shell at the opening forming a lateral support for the motor.

2. In a fan of the class described, a shell, the shell having a reduced upper portion and for repair and Ahaving a `concentric opening therein, the .lower portion of the shell having a flared skirt, a motor frictionally mounted in the opening to extend thereabove and held against lateral movement by the material surrounding the opening, motor supports extending from the inner surface of the shell to engage the motor and maintain it rigidly against` vertical movement spaced above the skirt of the shell, the flare of the skirt enhancing the ornamental appearance and stability of the shell base and also delineating clearance space beneath the motor in which wiring connections may be established.

3. In a fan, a support and housing comprised of a shell having an opening, a guard mounted on the shell close to but spaced from the opening vertically, the guard including a lowerapertured sheet having an opening concentric with the opening in the shell, a motor supporting arm disposed in the shell having a portion in registry with the openings, a motor axially insertable through both openings to seat upon the registering portion of the motor support, the motor having a shaft extending perpendicularly above the lower apertured sheet of the guard, and having brush changing elements laterally extending from the motor and disposed in the space between the guard and the upper portion of the shell whereby said elements may be manipulated without disassembling the motor, guard and shell assembly.

4. In a fan, a housing, a motor disposed in the housing with a portion extending above the housing, brush changing elements carried on said portion, a guard comprised of a cylindrical body and a horizontal sheet of mesh material disposed above the end of the motor and housing but spaced from the housing, arms connecting the guard to the housing at points close to but spaced from the motor, the arms being spaced apart such distances as to enable manipulations of portions of the motor disposed in the space between the fan guard and housing.

5. In combination a shell having an opening, a guard including curved armsremovably but rigidly affixed to the shell adjacent below the opening, a motor to but spaced from the opening, said guard having an axially concentric opening spaced above the opening in the shell, a motor axially mounted in the shell in the opening therein having a portion extending through the opening in the guard, brush changing elements mounted on the motor in the vertical space between the openings in the shell and guard to permit manipulations thereot' Without disturbing the assembly, andl aktan blade unit mounted on the portion of the motor extending through the opening in the guard, and an axially mounted curved deflector removably mounted on the guard in proximity to the fan blade unit in position to deflect the upward loW of air in a substantially horizontal stratum, 'the deiicctor and fan blade unit being each axially removable to pern'iitthe axial removal of the motor Without affecting the assembly of the shell and guard.

6. In combination in a fan, a hollow shell, motor supports disposed in the shell mounted on an inner surtace thereof, the shell having an opening in registry with the motor supports, a substantially vertical motor mounted inthe opening ofthe shell upon the supports, having vertical air passages for Ventilating the motor, a fan blade mounted on the motor for rotation with parts thereof to draw a circulating air stream through the motor, lugs mounted on the shell near the base thereof, a plate, having an opening, mounted on the lugs substantially in the plane of the lower portion ot the shell, and lugs forming a support for the plate and shell to maintain E1n air space beneath said plate whereby the circulating air stream may be drawn through the opening in the plate in its passage through the motor.

Signed at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, this 6th day of January, 1928.

XVILLIAM H. GINDER. 

